Great questions to ask your interviewer

If you're going for an interview, you may have spent a considerable amount of time preparing for it. This could be anything from your outfit to the answers which you will give the interviewer. You may have reprinted your CV to hand in at the start of the interview and feel completely ready for whatever questions you get asked. So what are you going to say when the interviewer asks if you have any questions?

In your opinion...

One of the best questions you can ask your interviewer is something that involves them answering with their own opinion. This may give you an idea of what it is like to work somewhere or at least what your new boss is going to be like to work for. Obviously, you will need to ensure that your boss is the one interviewing you before asking anything too personal so bear this in mind.

For example, when it comes to digital recruitment, many employers will already expect their candidates to have extensive knowledge of the industry so be careful not to ask anything irrelevant. Consider the specific sector that you will be working in and ask a question based around that. As an example, if you are going for a position in web design, you might want to ask what your boss thinks is the best plug-in to get a colour palette.

How do I succeed in this company?

Another key thing to ask is how to be successful within the business. This question can be asked in a number of ways, depending on what you want to know. You could ask what sort of person is successful in the company and that might see the interviewer discuss the type of personality traits they think are likely to be more successful. (Do not come across as pushy as this can lead to a negative view upon yourself)

Alternatively, you could ask what the career progression is like inside the company. Be careful how you word this because you want to come across as ambitious but still committed to the role you have applied for. It's all about showing your interviewer that you are keen but also capable of going the extra mile when the time comes.

What do you like about this job?

One thing you can ask the interviewer is what they enjoy about their job and the company they work for. This shows that you are interested in the company as a whole, but also means that the interviewer has to think about what the best elements of the job are. It is a positive question and shows that you are keen to find out what good things happen on a day to day basis.

This is also a great opportunity to give the interviewer a chance to tell you a little bit about themselves and their own pleasures. You can then start to get an idea of the workplace's culture. This is just as important as the job role itself because if you don't think the culture is right for you, it could be the case that the job isn't right for you either. This question might result in your interviewer making their mind up about recruiting you as much as you deciding you want the job.

Are there any questions I shouldn't ask?

Obviously, there are numerous questions which you should never ask your interviewer, there are a few queries which are definite no-nos. For example, some red flags include:

Asking what the company does. An interviewer will expect you to know this before the interview.

How quickly can I be promoted? This implies that you regard the job you’re applying for as a stepping stone.

Is it possible to work from home? Most modern offices already allow this, but this sends the wrong signal to employers, implying that you would rather be at home than in the office.

How do I book holiday? Seeing as how you haven’t even started the job yet, it’s a bit early to request time off.